Madhya Pradesh youth express concern on societal pressure; climate change, lack of holistic education

 

 

 

 

 

Senior Correspondent

NewsBits.in

 

BHOPAL: Youth from across Madhya Pradesh have expressed various concerns including societal pressure, impact of climate change, lack of resources and support for leadership development and opportunities of holistic education.

 

These concerns were raised during the four preparatory meets of youth held in run up to a state level youth conference “Yuva Aagaaz, Yuva Awaaz” (Beginning by Youth, Voice of Youth) to be organised by NGO Synergy Sansthan and the Bhopal School of Social Sciences in Bhopal on 11-12th August, 2024.

 

The state level conference aims to bring together various stakeholders working on youth issues for the first time in Madhya Pradesh to discuss issues related to youth and with the hope of coming up with useful recommendations towards their development.

 

Ahead of the state level youth conference, regional youth meets were organised at four different locations in Madhya Pradesh – Harda, Indore, Gwalior and Jabalpur – to give platform to the voices of the youth and their concerns.

 

These meets saw participation of 153 youth representing 35 social development organizations from 27 districts of Madhya Pradesh.

 

In these meetings, the youth openly expressed their views and demands on important topics related to them such as education, employment, youth development, entrepreneurship, mental health; impact of climate change on youth, active citizenship, youth leadership, resources being used for youth development and youth development policy etc.

 

Key areas of concern that emerged through discussion among youth include:

1. Family and community put a burden of expectations on the youth as they grow up, but the changes taking place in their lives over time are not considered. Due to this, they are unable to understand issues like feeling of solitude in big cities, lack of resources in villages, physical changes and new relationships which affect their mental health. Therefore, it is necessary that family, community, schools and colleges provide them a non-judgmental and positive space and a comfortable environment, where they can openly discuss their issues and get the right guidance.

 

2. The ongoing climate change is having a profound impact on the health and efficiency of youth. Therefore there is a need to have proper control of factors such as nutrition of youth, use of chemical pesticides and exploitation of natural resources. For the physical health of youth, facilities such as playgrounds and other resources should be promoted at school, village, block and university levels.

 

3. Government, corporate and other donor agencies and partners who provide support for community development need to look at youth development beyond the perspective of sports and invest in leadership opportunities for youth, their internal development and youth activism. Focus should be on how to operationalise youth policy at the grassroots level to provide adequate resources and proper implementation, and to increase awareness among youth about this policy and their participation in the spirit of cooperation.

 

4. It is fine to expect activism from the youth, but it is also important to provide the necessary cooperation and leadership opportunities. Society expects the youth to show activism under the leadership of the majority, due to which they do not get the opportunity to give their suggestions and develop their leadership qualities. The result is that they are used like puppets.

 

5. Nowadays schools and colleges provide basic education with the objective of getting a job, but they should also provide practical experience and education for holistic development. This can make the youth think about entrepreneurship and help empower other youth. This will not only increase their confidence but will also bring positive change in the society.

 

The important topics that emerged from these discussions will be shared by Synergy Institute with the social institutions, government, academics, media and donor organisations of Madhya Pradesh through the Youth Conference “Yuva Aagaaz, Yuva Awaaz”. Discussions will be held on these issues with a view to find solutions and required initiatives, Vimal Jat, CEO of Synergy Sansthan has said.